Prof. Arodiogbu visits Czech Embassy in Abuja, Pushes Trade, Education, Technology and Youth Development
The National Vice Chairman (South East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, MBBSR, has called for stronger and more practical cooperation between Nigeria’s South East region and the Czech Republic.
Prof. Arodiogbu made the call on Tuesday when he paid a courtesy and strategic visit to the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Abuja, where he met with Mr. Ondřej Neuschl, First Secretary in charge of Political, Cultural and Media Affairs.
The engagement focused on exploring opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in politics, trade and investment, education, technology, agriculture, healthcare, youth development and cultural exchange.
Among the proposals presented by the APC South East leadership was an exchange programme between the APC and the appropriate governing political institution in the Czech Republic to facilitate the sharing of democratic experiences, governance practices and ideas for strengthening political dialogue.
Prof. Arodiogbu also advocated the creation of stronger trade and investment linkages between manufacturers, entrepreneurs and businesses in the South East and their Czech counterparts.
He proposed partnerships between universities in the South East and Czech higher institutions to promote joint research, academic exchanges, scholarships, student mobility and knowledge transfer.
The APC leader further identified youth empowerment as a major area for potential collaboration, particularly in agriculture, science, digital technology, innovation and technical skills development.
Another proposal was for the Czech Ambassador to undertake a strategic visit to APC-controlled states in the South East to engage directly with governors, business leaders, academics, young people and other key stakeholders.
According to Prof. Arodiogbu, Nigeria and the Czech Republic have enjoyed longstanding diplomatic relations, but there is considerable scope to translate those relations into practical economic and institutional partnerships that directly benefit citizens.
“As the APC National Vice Chairman for the South East, I am particularly interested in creating platforms that can connect the South East’s political, entrepreneurial, industrial, agricultural and human-capital potential with Czech expertise, technology and investment,” he said.
He noted that the South East possesses considerable strengths in entrepreneurship, manufacturing, innovation and human capital, stressing that strategic partnerships could unlock new opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture and agro-processing, healthcare, renewable energy, infrastructure, ICT, education and skills development.
The APC National Vice Chairman particularly emphasised the importance of connecting young Nigerians with Czech universities, research institutions, industries and innovation ecosystems.
He said such exchanges could help develop a new generation of entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, technologists and skilled professionals capable of contributing to Nigeria’s economic transformation.
Mr. Ondřej Neuschl, First Secretary in charge of Political, Cultural and Media Affairs, Embassy of Czech Repulblic welcomed Prof. Arodiogbu and highlited the increasing relationship between Nigeria and Prague.
He described the meeting as the beginning of a strategic conversation that could lead to concrete programmes, institutional partnerships, business-to-business engagements and investment opportunities and expresssed the readiness and commitment of the Embassy to see to the actaulisation of the initiatives proposed by Prof. Arodiogbu.
The Apc National Vice Chairman expressed appreciation to the Czech Embassy for the warm reception accorded his delegation and reaffirmed the readiness of the APC South East leadership to support initiatives that promote stronger people-to-people, institutional and economic relations between Nigeria and the Czech Republic.
The engagement is expected to provide a foundation for further discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation between the South East geopolitical zone and Czech institutions in political dialogue, trade and investment, education, youth development, technology transfer and cultural exchange.
Report by:
Timothy Nwachukwu
Special Adviser on Media, Policy and Strategic Engagement to the Apc National Vice Chairman South East.